Change in plenary indulgence reception, 20 days instead of 8

Interesting tidbit from the Marian Catechists, I was not aware.
His Eminence Raymond Leo Cardinal Burke has spoken with the official in charge of questions regarding indulgences at the Apostolic Penitentiary about the requisite time frame for the reception of sacramental Confession, Holy Communion, and prayers for the Holy Father for those who hope to gain plenary indulgences. The time frame is now “about 20 days” before or after the indulgenced act instead of “8” or “several days” as previously thought. What follows is a summary of the new norm.

Clarification of Change

In addressing the matter of sacramental Confession, the official explained that the 1917 Code of Canon Law specified that the sacramental Confession had to take place within the 8 days immediately preceding the indulgenced act (CIC 1917, can. 931, § 1). The 1983 Code of Canon Law has no norm in the matter. The Enchiridion Indulgentiarum promulgated on 16 July 1999 specified that the sacramental Confession should take place “several days before or after” the indulgenced act (no. 20, § 3), without specifying the meaning of “several days.” The Apostolic Penitentiary has now established that sacramental Confession should take place “about 20” days before or after the act.

This new norm was originally spelled out in No. 5 of The Gift of Indulgence, promulgated on 29 January 2000 by the Apostolic Penitentiary, by which a grant of indulgences was given for the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000: “It is appropriate, but not necessary, that the sacramental Confession and especially Holy Communion and the prayer for the Pope’s intentions take place on the same day that the indulgenced work is performed; but it is sufficient that these sacred rites and prayers be carried out within several days (about 20) before or after the indulgenced act.” The complete text of The Gift of Indulgence is available at the Vatican website:  http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/tribunals/apost_penit/documents/rc_trib_appen_pro_20000129_indulgence_en.html

As clarified by the official from the Apostolic Penitentiary, the norm now applies to all grants for plenary indulgences. Not many people are aware of the new norm of “about 20” days to satisfy the requirements for gaining a plenary indulgence. Even the 2011 edition of the Manual of Indulgences published by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops does not include this change.
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